Firing turret for teleguided missiles



-21 1 I E. STAQFF ETAL 3,293,

FIRING TURRET FOR TELEGUIDED MISSILES Filed Nov. 24, 1964 Fla-1.

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United States Patent 3,293,985 FIRING TURRET FUR TELEGUIDED MESSTLES Emile Stautf, Versailles, and Roger Fleury, Boulognesin- Seine, France, assignors to Nerd-Aviation Societe Nationale de Constructions Aeronautiques, Paris, France, a joint-stock company of France Filed Nov. 24, 19M, Ser. No. 413,480 Claims priority, application France, Nov. 28, 1963, 955,386 4 Ciaims. (Cl. 891.8l5)

The present invention relates to a firing turret for teleguided missiles, using an infra-red direction finder.

Infra-red direction finders or goniometers are already known which permit, in combination with a calculating machine and an electronic order generator, the trajectory of a teleguided missile to be kept on the optical axis of the infra-red direction finder. Teleguiding devices are also known in which a straight or periscopic optical sighting telescope, associated with the devices mentioned above, enables the optical axis of the infra-red direction finder to be held at any instant on the target, whether the latter is moving or fixed.

The teleguiding of a missile presents a difiicult problem, namely that of taking-over control of the missile by the infra-red direction finder when the missile leaves the launching ramp. It will in fact be understood that according to the characteristics and the respective positions of the infira-red direction finder and the missile, the latter can escape at the start from the automatic teleguiding control, either because it passes too rapidly through the field of the infra-red direction finder, or because the orders cannot be effective with s-ufiicient rapidity by reason of the inertia of the teleg uiding device or arrangement employed. The result is that the missile should occupy on starting a well defined position in azimuth and in elevation with respect to the infra-red direction finder, and within an approximation of a given order. This position may for example be determined as follows: convergence of the firing axis of the missile and the optical axis of the direction finder (this optical axis being parallel to that of the sighting telescope) at 50 meters in front of. the direction finder, fixing of the said firing axis at 8 in elevation with an accuracy of (one-quarter) of a degree, for the devices currently known as SS 11 and the direction finder currently designated S.A.T., the direction finder being 2 meters to the rear and in the axis and at 0.50 meter above the missiles in the starting position on the launching ramp.

These data are generally determined by experiment.

A solution of the problem stated above is known, which consists of controlling the launching ramp in dependence on the movements in azimuth and in elevation of the sighing telescope-direction finder unit. While this solution is theoretically satisfactory, it has on the other hand the disadvantage of being complicated and costly.

The present invention has for its object a firing turret provided with an infra-red direction finder, which utilizes a simpler solution of the problem. This consists essentially of the combination of. a firing turret carrying a launching ramp and the sighting telescope-infra-red direc tion-fin-der unit, in which the optical axis of the said telescope and that of the said direction finder are continuously parallel to each other, forming part of a missile-teleguiding device, the said sighting telescope-infra-red direction-finder unit being capable of being momentarily locked with respect to the launching ramp at the departure of the missile in order that the latter can be taken into the control of the infra-red direction finder, so that the optical axis of the infra-red direction finder is located in a definite position, previously known, with respect to each of the missiles in the starting position on the ramp.

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In a first form 01. embodiment, the sighting telescopeinfra-rcd direction-finder unit is mounted with two degrees of freedom through the intermediary of two shafts perpendicular to each other, on a plate fixed to the launching ramp, it being possible to momentarily eliminate these two degrees of freedom by dog-clutches, so that the firing axis is located in the desired relative position with respect to the optical axis of the infra-red direction finder during the period of taking over of control of a missile by the infra-red direction finder.

In a second form of. embodiment, the sighting telescopeinfra-red direction-finder unit is mounted with two degrees of freedom through the intermediary of two shafts perpendicular to each other, on the turret which can rotate only about the vertical axis, dog-clutches again permitting these two degrees of 'reedom to be momentarily eliminated during the period of taking a missile under the control of the infra-red direction finder when the desired relative position of the firing axis of the missile and the optical axis of the infra-red direction finder is obtained.

Other characteristic features and advantages will be brought out from the description following of two forms of embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which FIGS. 1 and 2 are respectively a diagrammatic view in side elevation of the said first alternative and of a second alternative form of embodiment, and FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of one of the dogclutch devices.

In FIG. 1, the unit 1 comprising the sighting telescopc-infra-red direction finder with two degrees of freedom, rests on a plate 2 rigidly fixed on the launching ramp 3, on which a missile 4 or a number of identical missiles are mounted in the starting position.

A turret S, pivoted about the vertical axis 6, rests on a base (not shown). This turret carries a horizontal shaft 7 pivoted in bearings carried by side plates 8. The launching ramp 3 is rigidly fixed to the horizontal shaft 7.

The two degrees of freedom of the unit 1, sighting telescope-infra-red direction finder, are respectively obtained through the intermediary of two shafts 9 and 10, perpendicular to each other. Dog-clutch devices 11 and 12 of the type shown in detail in FIG. 3, enable the unit 1 to be momentarily immobilized with respect to the launchiug ramp 3 in a previously fixed position, for example that indicated above by way of example, in the case where the apparatus known as SS 11 and the infra-red direction finder type S.A.T. are employed.

In this form of embodiment, the operator can thus rotate the turret 5 about its vertical axis 6, manually or with mechanical, electrical or hydraulic assistance, and also the launching ramp can be rotated about its horizontal axis 7. In searching for the objective, the unit 1 moves freely about its two axes 9 and 10. When the objective is located, the operator locks the unit 1 on its plate 2 by means of the two devices 11 and 12, and then puts the objective on the sighting line of the telescope. Since on the one hand the optical axis of the telescope is parallel to that of the direction finder, and since on the other hand, the unit 1 is fixed with respect to the launching ramp 3 in the desired pre-determined position, each missile in the starting position on the said ramp is in good condition for firing and for being taken under control by the infra-red direction finder.

About one second after firing the missile, the two dog-clutches 11 and 12 are freed, and the movements of the objective are then observed with the unit 1 having two degrees of freedom, the teleguiding system of the missile coming into action.

In FIG. 3, the dog-clutch device shown diagrammatically is intended to lock or free the shaft 13 at will with J respect to the support 14 in which it is pivotally mounted. It is essentially constituted by a wedge 15 movable under the action of any desired mechanism: mechanical, electrical or other, contained in the casing 16, this mechanism being rigidly fixed on the support 14, and by a housing 17, formed longitudinally in the outer surface of the shaft 13, intended to receive the wedge 15 so as to lock togather the said shaft and the said support. This mechanism is operated from a distance.

A dog-clutch device of this kind and its control mechanism are conventional, and it has not been considered necessary to show them in a more detailed manner.

In FIG. 2, the unit 1 is mounted on the turret through the intermediary of the support 10, instead of being installed on the plate 2 of FIG. 1.

In this case, when the objective is located in the field of the unit 1, the operator causes the turret 5 to rotate, without the objective passing out of the said field, until the vertical-shaft dog-clutch device 12 engages in the suitable position and causes the unit 1 to rotate about its horizontal shaft until, Without the objective passing out of the field, the horizontal shaft dog-clutch device assumes a position in which the axis of each missile in the starting position on the launching ramp 3 and the axis of the di-' .rection finder form between them the correct firing angle for taking the missile under control.

We claim:

1. A device for firing and controlling teleguided missiles comprising, in combination,

a firing turret carrying a launching ramp with the turret-ramp combination having at least two axes about which the turret-ramp combination ma y move,

an infra-red guiding system and optical sighting device combination with optical axes of said guiding system and said sighting device in parallel relationship to each other,

said guiding system and sighting device combination having a support in common with said launching ramp, with said guiding system and sighting device combination located rearwardly of said launching ramp,

said guiding system and sighting device combination having at least two axes about which the guiding system and sighting device combination may move,

locking and unlocking means on said at least two axes of said guiding system and sighting device combination to lock against movement about said axes of said guiding system and sighting device combination during launching and to unlock for movement about these same axes momentarily after launching of a missile whereby the device enables control of the missile to be taken over by said guiding system at launching and the tracking of a target for the missile by the low inertia guiding system and sighting. device combination during the missile flight. 2. The device for firing and controlling teleguided missiles of claim 1, further characterized by said at least two axes about which said guiding system and sighting device can move being at least two axes perpendicular to each other. 3. The device for firing and controlling teleguided missiles of claim 1, in which I said locking and unlocking means comprise dogclutches. 4. The device for firing and controlling teleguided missiles of claim 1, in which said turret comprises said support in common of said guiding system and sighting device combination and said launching ramp, said at least two aXes about which said guiding system and sighting device can move including a pair of shafts perpendicular to each other in horizontal and vertical positions, said locking and unlocking means including dogcl utches in operational connection with said shafts.

References Qited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,405,067 7/1946 Tear et al. 8941 2,778,277 1/1957 Herlach 8941 2,814,118 11/1957 Evans 4l1 X 3,028,807 4/1962 Burton et a1. 102-49 3,233,847 2/1966 Girsberger 24414 BENJAMKN A. BORCHE'LT, Primary Examiner.

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR FIRING AND CONTROLLING TELEGUIDED MISSILES COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FIRING TURRET CARRYING A LAUNCHING RAMP WITH THE TURRET-RAMP COMBINATION HAVING AT LEAST TWO AXES ABOUT WHICH THE TURRET-RAMP COMBINATION MAY MOVE, AN INFRA-RED GUIDING SYSTEM AND OPTICAL SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION WITH OPTICAL AXES OF SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AND SAID SIGHTING DEVICE IN PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION HAVING A SUPPORT IN COMMON WITH SAID LAUNCHING RAMP, WITH SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION LOCATED REARWARDLY OF SAID LAUNCHING RAMP, SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION HAVING AT LEAST TWO AXES ABOUT WHICH THE GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION MAY MOVE, LOCKING AND UNLOCKING MEANS ON SAID AT LEAST TWO AXES OF SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION TO LOCK AGAINST MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID AXES OF SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION DURING LAUNCHING AND TO UNLOCK FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT THESE SAME AXES MOMENTARILY AFTER LAUNCHING OF A MISSILE WHEREBY THE DEVICE ENABLES CONTROL OF THE MISSILE TO BE TAKEN OVER BY SAID GUIDING SYSTEM AT LAUNCHING AND THE TRACKING OF A TARGET FOR THE MISSILE BY THE LOW INERTIA GUIDING SYSTEM AND SIGHTING DEVICE COMBINATION DURING THE MISSILE FLIGHT. 